Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-Ledger“There are no members of this Legislature — Republican or Democrat — who agrees with the comments or the personal attacks of the governor,” Senate Budget Chairman Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) said today at the outset of the last scheduled budget hearing of the season.

TRENTON — A top Democratic lawmaker kicked off the final budget hearing of the season today by defending the chief legislative budget officer against Wednesday's verbal assault at the hands of Gov. Chris Christie.

“There are no members of this Legislature – Republican or Democrat – who agree with the comments or the personal attacks of the governor,” Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen), chairman of the budget committee, said.

"Why would anybody with a functioning brain believe this guy?" Christie asked at a transportation conference in Trenton. "How often do you have to be wrong to finally be dismissed?"

Christie was responding to Rosen’s prediction that state revenue would fall $1.3 billion short of Christie’s estimates through fiscal 2013, or about double what the administration expects.

Sarlo asked State Treasurer Andew Sidamon-Erisoff today if he agreed with the governor’s comments.

Clearly choosing his words carefully, Eristoff said he would not fall into that “trap.”

“I think the governor, like many, have problems with the way issues are managed,” Eristoff said. “We are pleased to have a cordial relationship with the Office of Legislative Services…they make us better at our job.”

Asked to clarify what he meant by the way "issues are managed," Eristoff said administration officials are sometimes discouraged when information from OLS is selectively leaked out to prove political points.

Earlier, Sen. Joe Pennachio (R-Morris) took issue with some of Rosen’s comments in his opening statement, saying they suggested a bias. He specifically pointed out that Rosen described the poor April revenue figures as “bad news.”

“I think the economy is growing, that’s good news,” Pennachio said.

Rosen said the bad news he was referring to was an unexpected dip in energy tax receipts, which fell short by $351 million than expected. “I am sure if you asked the treasurer, he would describe that as bad news too,” Rosen said.

An agitated Sarlo then took to the microphone and asked if there were any members who agreed with the governor’s comments. If so, they should speak up – but no one did.

Nonetheless, the disappointing revenue figures did not persuade the governor to back off his income tax cut proposal, which he plans to help finance by borrowing for transportation projects.

“We all disagree with the governor and you experience and credibility speaks for itself,” Sarlo said.

In the last decade, OLS has a slightly better track record at predicting revenue than the governor’s office, according to a review by the office itself. Also, OLS and the current administration have not seen things much differently — including next year — when they both see a much more rebound than Wall Street analysts are predicting.

Democrats accused Christie of going “unhinged” when people disagree with him, and said the personal attacks draw attention from the real issue, which is what to do about the state's slumping revenue.